Germany Evacuates 30,000 Tourists
Germany is dispatching civilian aircraft to evacuate an estimated 30,000 German tourists stranded in Saudi Arabia and Oman due to the escalating Middle East war. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has reiterated Germany's position of non-participation in the conflict.
The evacuation effort is a response to the escalating conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which then triggered retaliatory Iranian attacks across the region. This has led to widespread airspace closures, leaving tourists from various countries stranded. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is coordinating the response, which prioritizes the evacuation of vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with medical needs. Germany is working with national carrier Lufthansa and other travel companies to arrange the flights from Riyadh and Muscat, as their airspaces remain open. While organizing the evacuation, Germany has firmly stated it will not participate militarily in the conflict. Foreign Minister Wadephul explained that Germany lacks the necessary military resources and bases in the region for such involvement. However, German soldiers stationed in Jordan and Iraq will defend themselves if attacked. This stance of non-participation comes even as Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed political support for the US and Israeli objectives to end what he termed the "mullah regime" in Iran. The German government has communicated that it shares many of the same goals as its partners but will not be directly involved in military strikes. Crisis teams have been dispatched to Muscat, Doha, and Dubai to explore all possible evacuation routes, including overland travel. An estimated 5,000 passengers are also stranded on two TUI cruise ships in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The German Travel Association has urged the stranded tourists to remain in their hotels and avoid attempting to travel to an airport or a neighboring country on their own. The association's data suggests the number of affected Germans could be as high as 30,000. This is not the first time Germany has conducted large-scale civilian evacuations. During the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government organized flights to repatriate German nationals from Wuhan, China. However, the use of military aircraft for the current evacuation is being considered only as a last resort if civilian options prove insufficient.
